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Feb 2022

Last Updated: 22/02/2022

Environment

Flooding reveals 'major unresolved problem on West Park Stray'

by Newsroom

| 22 Feb, 2022

The Stray Defence Association says the latest floods highlight unresolved problems with drainage, and claim the loss of trees has made the grassland more prone to flooding.

Large swathes of The Stray in Harrogate remain flooded today after heavy rainfall from Storm Franklin.

The Stray underwent major repairs two years ago to improve drainage in the area near the Prince of Wales roundabout.

But that area, and many others, is under water, raising questions about what, if anything, can be done to improve matters.

The Stray Defence Association, which has campaigned to safeguard the Stray since the 1930s, posted on its Facebook page:

"Clearly there is a major unresolved problem on West Park Stray, whatever certain people say.

"Looking at the dire state of West Park Stray today this has never been the case over decades past … when in winter we often had 5/6 feet of accumulated snow melting on a regular basis as well as heavy rain.

"Tree roots are standing in water much of the time now, not just over this weekend. This is an environmental disaster in the making."

£160,000 repairs 'not money well spent'

Judy Darcy-Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association told the Stray Ferret.

"£160,000 was spent on repairs in 2019 and it was not money well spent since we're still seeing flooding of this level."

"There is also a concern about the number of trees being cut down around the area ... these were protecting the area from floods, and the situation is only getting worse."

Harrogate Borough Council, which is the protector of the Stray, was forced to repair the Stray in 2019 after the UCI World Championships caused extensive damage.

We reached out to the council for comment but did not receive a response.

West Park Stray — 12 months of mud, repair and debate

LIVE: Flooding clean up begins across Harrogate district

Locals also expressed their concerns over vehicles causing damage to the Stray after a van got stuck in the grass on Saturday afternoon.

https://twitter.com/HellyR1/status/1495077805964595201?s=20&t=wkvUuA4vc2wJodk1iPXEIA

Ms Darcy-Thompson said:

"These images have gone to the council and I have suggested that the driver pays for the damages they have done."

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Flooding reveals 'major unresolved problem on West Park Stray'

£160,000 repairs 'not money well spent'

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